FOCUS: ORANGE COUNTY COMMUNITY NEWS | NORTH: FULLERTON

Suspect Who Shot Self Still Unidentified

Police are asking for help identifying a suspected robber, who allegedly shot himself in the head while pistol-whipping a manager of a local computer store during a holdup on Friday.

The suspect, described as Asian in his late teens or early 20s with a large tattoo of a tiger on his right shoulder, was carrying no identification and his fingerprints are not on record. He is on life support at UCI Medical Center in Orange and his prognosis is bleak, police said.

"We want to know who he is for his family's sake as well as ours," Sgt. David Stanko said.

He said police are stumped and are hoping someone will recognize the man, whose picture was passed around to law enforcement agencies and featured on television Monday.

The suspect entered Level Computers Inc. on State College Boulevard at about 6:20 p.m. Friday, along with two male accomplices, Stanko said.

The suspect was hitting the store manager with his handgun when it apparently fired a bullet through his head, police said. Officers arriving at the scene said they found the unconscious man still clutching his gun.

The store manager was treated for cuts from the pistol-whipping. The other two employees, also beaten, were treated for minor injuries.

Police have been unable to locate the injured suspect's alleged accomplices, who fled empty-handed without checking on their partner, Stanko said.

Anyone with information is asked to call (714) 738-6715.

Meanwhile, police are investigating whether the holdup is connected to similar cases in Los Angeles and Orange counties.